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Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami who sponsored the resolution in the House forwarded the Tamil version and English translation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for further action.
The resolution read, “The proposed draft Dam Safety Bill, 2018, contains clauses which violate the rights of TN especially with respect to the Dams constructed by the State Government in the neighbouring state, and would cause various problems in their maintenance and operation.
The House asks the Centre to take up the legislation on Dam Safety after consulting States and keep in abeyance, legislation on Dam Safety”.
Palaniswami added that the proposed legislation has no reference to the four reservoirs Mullaiperiyar, Parambikulam, Thoonakkadavu, and Peruvaripallam, which are in Kerala but maintained by State government.
“The proposed legislation vests powers of ownership on States having reservoirs encroaching upon the rights conferred on the state by virtue of Inter-State Agreements on the dams owned, operated and maintained by TN but located in other states. The same had been reiterated by the SC,” the CM said.
Raising doubts over the validity of the National Dam Safety Authority to inspect the dams and reservoirs in every state, Palaniswami said, “The legislation, at this juncture, if given effect, would prevent Tamil Nadu from maintaining these four dams in the guise of dam safety”, and sought the House to adopt the resolution unanimously. Deputy Leader of Opposition Duraimurugan welcomed the resolution seconding the views of the CM.
“The proposed legislation stands testimony to the Centre’s autocratic attitude. I charge the Centre is infringing upon the rights of the state,” he said. Duraimurugan said the state stands to lose if the Dam Safety Act 2018 was legislated and the Centre was acting without consulting the Chief Minister or Water Resources Minister.
He added that the previous version of a similar draft was brought up in 2010 and was referred to a standing committee before being shelved.
“The state should be firm in the resolution and its implementation,” he said.
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